Moving Freight

Moving Freight has continued to receive strong support from industry and government stakeholders since its release in 2013. However, with advances in technology and an evolving strategic freight environment, a review was conducted to ensure we continue to keep pace with the state's economic growth.

The review was conducted under the direction of the Queensland Ministerial Freight Council in consultation with key industry stakeholders and internal and external government agencies. The strategy is in draft for public consultation. The outcome of the review, Queensland Freight Strategy (QFS) is a high level strategic document which links to existing government strategies. The strategy has a multi-modal focus providing strategic freight policy direction across all modes in road, rail, sea and air.

The QFS outlines five key themes and 19 policy statements which provide renewed direction over the next ten years for the management of the freight network. Throughout the development of QFS we are continuing to implement actions from Moving Freight with 28 freight system actions commenced covering the first four years (2014–18) and 10 ongoing actions which extend beyond the 2014–16 delivery timeframe.

Key actions implemented in the 2016–17 year include:

Expand the use of rail freightCompleted Charlton-Wellcamp and other Centres Multi-Modal Strategy. Finalised the report providing a guide for the development of efficient multi-modal linkages as well as providing direction for future intermodal planning including the Melbourne -Brisbane Inland Rail (incorporating Gowrie Grandchester) and the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing.

Support future freight growthEstablished an Inland Rail Interdepartmental Committee, chaired by the Director-General, Department of Transport and Main Roads to negotiate an intergovernmental agreement with the federal government.

Key activities in progress:

Increase road freight network accessCommenced refinement of mobile laser scanning data for use in automated crash detection analysis, with development of a workable version of an automated clash detection tool.

South East Queensland's Rail Horizon Strategy

The South East Queensland's Rail Horizon Strategy identifies future expansion of the network to Flagstone (40 kilometres south of the Brisbane CBD) and Caloundra, as well as extensions to the Ipswich and Springfield lines, the Gold Coast line and a possible future North West Transport Corridor, approximately nine kilometres north west of the Brisbane CBD. Two projects are currently being progressed to corridor planning.

Ipswich to Springfield Corridor Land Requirement Review (Stage 1)

We are working collaboratively with stakeholders to identify two potential master planning options for the road and rail configuration in Augustine Heights (west of Springfield Lakes). These options will be further refined in upcoming workshops with a preferred configuration to be presented to stakeholders prior to preservation of the confirmed land requirement.

The South East Queensland Rail Horizon identifies a number of initiatives to optimise the network including New Generation Rollingstock (NGR) (see glossary), European Train Control System Level 2 (see glossary), Cross River Rail, Coomera to Helensvale, Beerburrum to Nambour and Outer Network Stabling. The NGR project will deliver six-car trains and a purpose-built maintenance centre at Wulkuraka, including 30 years of maintenance. The trains will be progressively rolled out onto the south east Queensland passenger rail network for late 2017.

The European Train Control System Level 2 project involves a complete overhaul (replacement of existing trackside signalling equipment) of the inner-city rail signalling and communications system with new, state-of-the-art equipment.

Inland Rail Project engagement

Inland Rail provides a strategic opportunity in the capacity, capability and interoperation of the national freight rail system. It will strategically build the backbone of the national freight rail network creating a direct standard gauge rail connection between Queensland, Victoria and rural New South Wales.

The Reference Design Phase of the proposed standard gauge rail line of approximately 1700 kilometres is currently underway.

The 2017–18 Federal Budget announced the federal government will provide an additional equity investment of $8.4 billion over seven years from 2017–18 to the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) for the delivery of the Inland Rail project. Under the measure, the ARTC will leverage greater debt and enter into a public private partnership for the Gowrie to Kagaru section.

Other work includes the preparation of environmental impact statements ensuring Queensland's interests in the project, including stakeholder and community feedback, are assessed and properly managed.

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North Coast Line Action Plan

The department is currently developing a preliminary North Coast Line Action Plan which will propose a 10 year program of infrastructure and service initiatives to address corridor deficiencies, improve the reliability and resiliency of the corridor, increase rail capacity, and improve the overall efficiency of rail operations.

The plan builds on the Moving Freight Strategy and other previous studies, investigating upgrades that will improve safety and efficiency on the vital north-south rail line. Projects in the North Coast Line Action Plan will improve the reliability for both passenger and freight services on the corridor, and is anticipated to facilitate growth in rail freight between the key distribution centres in the south east to major population centres in central and northern Queensland. The plan is due to be completed in late-2017.

Following completion of the action plan, the department will commence implementation planning and the development of more detailed designs and costings for proposed initiatives.

Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Programme (HVSPP)

The HVSPP is a federal government initiative to improve productivity and safety outcomes of heavy vehicle operations across Australia, through funding infrastructure projects.

The HVSPP will provide $40 million per year from 2021–22 onwards, building on the current $328 million investment from 2013–14 to 2020–21. HVSPP projects are jointly funded by the federal government and proponent (either state government, or Local Government Association of Queensland).

Some projects delivered on the state-controlled network through the initiative in 2016–17 include:

Gregory Highway between Emerald and Clermont – road enhancement works

Carnarvon Highway – Injune to Rolleston– pavement widening

Carnarvon Highway – St George to Surat – pavement widening.

Heavy vehicle rest area audits

In 2016, we undertook a heavy vehicle rest area audit across all state controlled roads within Queensland. The audit was completed in order to determine whether rest areas were meeting the fatigue management needs of the trucking industry and the travelling public. The audit assessed all established rest areas, and informal stopping places.

The provision of rest areas on the Queensland road network is integral to ensuring that drivers of heavy vehicles have appropriate locations and facilities to meet their fatigue management obligations, and to reduce the incidence of fatigue related road trauma.

Nearly 3000 sites on the state-controlled road network were audited as part of the first phase of a heavy vehicle rest area planning strategy. The data collected during the audit is now being used to progress the expansion and improvement of rest areas to ensure drivers can meet their fatigue management obligations under the National Heavy Vehicle Law (NHVL).

Dangerous goods route – greater Brisbane

An update of the preferred route system for transporting dangerous goods by road in metropolitan Brisbane was undertaken by TMR in 2016 and published in February 2017.

Using crash statistics of vehicles transporting dangerous goods by road in Queensland in the previous five years, TMR combined this analysis with on road audits and identification of any high risk environmental, infrastructure, community and other factors on the proposed routes for dangerous goods transport in metropolitan Brisbane.

A Transport Inspector checking the dangerous goods load of a heavy vehicle

To ensure sensitive infrastructure such as tunnels prohibiting the transport of dangerous goods, could be clearly identified by the dangerous goods transport industry, TMR produced the Metropolitan Brisbane Area – Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road – Restrictions brochure.

Routes were determined in cooperation with stakeholders including Queensland Emergency Services, Brisbane City Council, the Operational Industry Sub Committee of the Queensland Ministerial Freight Council, and the Australian Institute of Petroleum and their industry members who transport petroleum throughout Queensland.

Enhancing heavy vehicle access

We have been working with Queensland's road freight industry and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) to continue to provide safe opportunities for enhancing heavy vehicle road access.

These activities included:

providing for repeat trips on over-mass Single Trip permits when the type and weight of a load does not change

increasing the duration of Single Trip permits from 14 days to 30 days

increasing the duration of Period Permits for heavy mobile cranes from 12 months to three years, on the basis of mandatory enrolment in the Intelligent Access Program

including Queensland in a National Notice to increase mass limits on two axle buses to 18 tonnes, from 16 tonnes

working with the NHVR to develop a National Notice for Performance Based Standards for A-double vehicles

working with the NHVR on harmonisation of National Notices to provide industry with similar road operating conditions across jurisdictions

actively working with industry to identify and overcome road access bottlenecks, such as identification of alternative routes, due to the impact of natural disasters on the road network.

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR)

Throughout the year we have continued to work with the NHVR to further the development of national heavy vehicle policy reform projects, including the access management NHVR Portal, the National Heavy Vehicle Registration Scheme, the Heavy Vehicle Roadworthiness Program, the NHVR Cost Recovery Project and National Compliance Information System.

A key initiative completed this year was the National Roadworthiness Baseline Survey, which provides a comprehensive, point in time, snapshot of the mechanical condition of the Australian heavy vehicle fleet.

In conjunction with the National Transport Commission, we facilitated passage of the Heavy Vehicle National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2016, which amends the national legislation that applies to all participating jurisdictions and governs the NHVR.

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Queensland Cycle Strategy

A great deal has been achieved this year as part of the Queensland Cycle Strategy 2011–21 and its supporting programs as well as thorough consultation for the new cycling strategy.

The government remains strongly committed to cycling infrastructure (see glossary) with over $160.2 million allocated for high-priority cycle infrastructure over the next four years between 2016–17 and 2019–20, including more than $84 million in cycle infrastructure on the state-controlled network.

In August 2016, a forum was held to help shape and develop a new cycling strategy and complementary two-year action plan for Queensland.

The forum allowed cycling stakeholders from across Queensland to have their say, and for us to hear first-hand what Queenslanders want for their cycling future.

The Cycling Infrastructure Policy is currently being updated and the revised version will be publicly available in mid-2017.

There have been wins from the current policy with the shared path along the Moreton Bay Rail Link now open. Fitzroy District is progressing a shared path and active transport bridge over Limestone Creek as part of the Rockhampton Northern Access upgrade. In Mackay shared paths and centre median pedestrian-refuges are being included in the Vines Creek Bridge replacement. Bicycle lanes were also incorporated as part of the Eungella Rd/Kennys Rd intersection upgrade.

Some of the priority cycling projects completed this financial year include:

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Principal Cycle Network Plans

We have developed Principal Cycle Network Plans (PCNPs) identifying over 10,200 kilometres of network, covering 48 local governments, 11 TMR districts and 98.9 per cent of the Queensland population. PCNPs provide a vision for the principal cycle network to support, guide and inform the planning, design and construction of the transport network.

We have also worked with local governments to develop Priority Route Maps (PRMs) to support delivery of the principal cycle network. PCNPs and PRMs are published on the TMR website.

During the year, we added 31 kilometres of cycle routes to the network across the state. Over $37.3 million in capital funding was spent during the year on cycling infrastructure, $21.9 million expended on the state-controlled network and $15.4 million in grants to local governments.